


Blackened Sun

by mina_owo



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Persona 5
Genre: Assassin Akira, Bow Knight Ann, Dark Flier Makoto, General Ryuji, M/M, Ninetails Morgana, Sage Goro, Sorceress Futuba, Swordmaster Yusuke, War Cleric Haru, akeshu is the main ship, artificial manakete goro, overthrowing the government w ur bffs, shido nuts for black magic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-16
Updated: 2017-11-12
Packaged: 2019-01-18 01:19:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12377931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mina_owo/pseuds/mina_owo
Summary: I am a human being.[Fire Emblem AU]





	1. What is your name?

The queen’s sudden death had caught everyone off guard--although none more so than the poor son she had left behind. It was then that the young prince, Goro Akechi, had truly begun to resent the world around him. Why would  _ they  _ let his caring mother fall to that illness? Should it even be right for him to be blaming them, even if they were just as surprised about the tragedy as he was? Regardless of the answer, the little royal had locked himself in his room in mourning, blatantly refusing to come out unless ordered.

His father, Shido, had taken the throne due to the queen’s expiration. Goro was already unfavored of the decision to put him in charge. It just didn’t feel  _ right _ . The young prince knew more than anyone how he used intimidation and aggression to get what he desired, and he was surprised that even his late mother had turned a blind eye to what was in plain sight. But alas, they really had no choice. Goro himself was too young, too unfit to rule. Shido was the best, and the only option for now.

Goro guessed that was probably why his father was with him now. It was as if he was trying to make amends for the court's decision--or trying to comfort him due to the fate of his mother--but he wasn’t listening. Shido was never as compassionate as the queen anyway, the young prince could clearly see straight through his facade. So, after a while of blocking out his rambling--his talk of using power to protect the country, all disgustingly noble--he wasn’t even surprised when that facade finally cracked. He should’ve been alarmed when Shido grabbed his arm, an obvious lack of restraint shown in the strength of his grip. Goro wasn’t shocked in the slightest; he expected this. His father was prone to losing his temper.  This was normal. 

What happened next definitely wasn’t  _ normal _ . As much of the rest of his body squirmed, kicked, and struggled, the grip Shido had on his arm was iron. He kicked, flailed around, but it was hopeless. The moment he felt a cool, metallic touch on his skin, Goro’s lip parted to let out a terrible scream. The tip of the knife pointed on his forearm, gently pressing more, more, until it suddenly plunged in. Thick, hot blood oozed out. Goro would never forget the horrible warmth.

Surgically, the man showed no emotion as he slid the blade lower, all the way to his son’s wrist. A thin, yet deep, cut was made. Taking his free hand, Shido untwisted the cork to small vial. He poured it generously over the open wound. The moment the violet liquid touched the cut, Goro felt a frigid and icy sensation spread inside. It grew stronger as Shido emptied the bottle, making sure not a single drop had escaped Goro’s wound. It was like little blades had been released into his bloodstream. “What is your name,  _ Akechi _ ?”

His wound began to steam. An ever thickening, dark fog released. Goro felt like he was choking. Shido swept his hand over it, sealing the wound and trapping the darkness inside.  _ “What is your name?”  _ He repeated, in a lower growl. Goro couldn’t answer. The blood inside him felt like it was filled with pins, all pointing outwards, eager to escape through his skin.

One of the little knives inside him tore through. It was the color of his blood. More followed, until he was suspending by streams of his own, blackened gore. In the places the strings arose from began to harden, but Shido refused to let him move.  _ “What is your name?” _

Goro felt his humanity slip through his grasp. The thoughts in his head were no longer purely his own. Instead he heard other voices, a low murmur of something filling his skull. It soon became apparent that with their rapidly increasing volume that the words were important, but they had become so distorted that he could barely make them out now. Yalda…  _ Yaldabaoth _ . It was a name. Was this the name his father spoke of? If he finally answered his father’s question with this new knowledge, would the pain go away?

Fueled by this hope, he tried desperately to get his vocal chords to work, to let something out other than the screams of agony that had left his throat scratchy and raw. The only thing that managed to be even remotely human sounding when it broke free from his mouth was the first few syllables of the name. Goro prayed internally that it somehow would be enough to satisfy Shido. 

Even amongst the hell, the little royal did notice his father’s small nod of approval. If he could catch his breath, he would’ve released a large sigh of relief. Maybe, now that Shido had gotten what he wanted, this would end, right? He would just play a “haha, I was kidding; this was all I needed,” and just revert his darling son back to normal...  _ right _ ? Unfortunately, it became obvious that the king had no desire to do anything of the sort. Instead, he left his son entirely. Those strings suspending him shattered, and the young prince collapsed to the ground in a crumpled heap.

Goro was alone. Goro would always be alone. The sooner he came to realize this, the more he resented his father. If not even his father would help him, then the effort of calling for help was worthless. But nevertheless, he cried out. He begged for someone,  _ anyone _ to come to his rescue. He wanted to ball up his fists so tightly, that his nails would draw little, scarlet droplets from crescent shaped cuts. But his hands were no longer a human being’s. No, they were covered in hard, tough scales. He let out a pained, draconic roar. But inside this desolate chamber...

No one would ever hear him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys! its been ages since ive used this account. ive grown greatly as a writer and i do a lot of it for fun. so my friend, who really loves persona 5, and myself--an actual piece of fire emblem garbage--decided to write this together just to enjoy ourselves. i hope you liked it :D


	2. Seed of Revolt

It had been seven years under Shido’s rule, ever since the benevolent queen had passed away. The man ruled with an iron fist, and his opposition quickly declined in numbers. The capital became a place where a single stray breath could get you impaled on a lance. Even the crown prince himself, Goro Akechi, grew up never disobeying a single order from the man--although no one could tell why he froze up around his father so stiffly. In fear, many of the citizens took sanctuary underground, where they prayed to get by another day.

Above ground, harsh law enforcement lurked in every corner, eager to use violence for any “disciplinary” reason. In fact, an outlaw like Morgana should have been dead by now. But as a kitsune, he was well versed in stealthily submerging himself within the shadows, and away from scanning gazes. 

He wasn’t here just for fun, of course. He was looking for someone in particular. Akira Kurusu was an infamous assassin, who made his name in the world of thieves at a tender young age. He was surrounded by rumor, hushed whispers. Some speculated that he was banished for daring to defy the king himself. The kitsune had his bets on that being true.

He had found him--nicknamed Joker by underground thugs--encircled by guards. Akira’s distinct mask contrasted sharply against the blackness. The rush of finding what he wanted was a bit too much, as Morgana didn’t realize the obstacle in his path. While making a run for the assassin, he realized too late that he knocked into several trash cans. They came crashing down, sounding near-explosive as they shattered the silence. 

The guards were quick to shift their focus towards Morgana. “Aye, is that a dirty fox devil? Let’s skin that one first, then we worry about this bastard here.” With hasty movements they bound Akira in rope, to which Joker seemed unfazed by. Their weapons were pointed towards Morgana, and he felt his pulse quicken. What now? They were surrounding him on all sides, backing him into a corner. There was no escape in sight for him.

A soft chuckle was soon heard. Their heads turned to the assassin, seemingly amused by the scene in front of him. “Oh? Didn’t they teach you to always keep an eye on your target?” The foolish guards had made a fatal mistake; Akira had been armed. Kicking up his foot, the motion released a small dagger he had lodged in there--for this very purpose. He clasped his palms together to grasp it in mid-air. In a practiced motion, he cut the rope that was binding him. He was able to jump onto a guard’s back, harshly tearing off the helmet that it wore. Underneath was a repugnant imitation of a human, it was clearly consumed by dark magic. “Disgusting,” Akira muttered, “But I was expecting this.” In a flash, he pointed the dagger towards its neck and easily stabbed a hole right through. He showed no sympathy as blood began to pour from the wound. Without another glance, he went straight to attack the next one. As it rushed toward him, it had its hand outstretched--ready to grab the assassin--but he was one step ahead. Akira captured the other’s arm, which left the guard’s chest exposed for a powerful jab. 

Morgana’s eyes widened at the massacre in front of him. He had heard of Akira’s strength, but he had never seen it himself before. It was no secret that the king dabbled in the dark arts either--untrained, no less--but everything felt so surreal in front of him. He watched carefully as his savior put away his weapon, and locked eyes with Morgana. “I didn’t do it for you, kitsune,” He finally broke the stillness, “I had been after those men for some time.”

It took a moment for Morgana to regain his composure. “Yes… Ah… Thank you,” he returned to his feet, “I’ve heard of you. That’s why I’m here, actually. And I have something to propose to you.” He had better get to the point, lest he get on Akira’s bad side.

Joker raised a brow. “Hm? What exactly would that be?” 

“Oh, I’ve heard all the rumors,” Morgana was getting back into his cheeky rhythm, “And I know you and I both have a bone to pick with ol’ King Shido; we both want him off that throne. We have a common goal to work for, don’t we?”

Akira contemplates the kitsune’s words. Although distrustful, he couldn’t deny that he was interested. “It is true that I have a strong dislike for the king… But if we do end up working together, how do you suppose we’ll pull this off?”

“Well, let me tell you one thing. Everyone who’s been taking refuge underground probably has a damn good reason to be there. Why not do a bit of recruiting? We can’t do this on our own,” Morgana couldn’t help but smirk to himself. He was starting to speak smoothly, in contrast to his jittering nerves. “Besides, I have every reason to want the king out. You’ve seen his soldiers poaching, hunting, downright murdering any  _ beasts _ \--as they call us--with an ounce of white blood.”

“Yeah, Fluffy, I know you and your kind has this whole sob story,” The kitsune looked ready to protest, but Joker went on anyway. “The rumors you heard about me were mostly true. I was only nine when I met the king for the first time. Heh, I saw his wide-eyed son too; he was only a year older than me. Anyway, I can’t really say I met him in a friendly way though. I was trying to defend a woman that he was attacking. I don’t even know why he was after her. Kind of stupid of me to butt in, I know, but I was a kid. It didn’t take Shido long to throw a tantrum and get his guards to exile me from the kingdom.” He didn’t know why he was spilling his entire life-story to some kitsune. But once he started speaking, he couldn’t find the heart to stop.

They shared a silence.

“So you turned to this life to survive?” Morgana asked, softer. The situation was delicate. “I see…” Part of the kitsune was entirely convinced that the “tantrum” Akira referenced was a behavioral side-effect to being exposed to dark magic without proper precautions… Of course, he would never be able to prove it.

“Yeah,” Akira confirmed, “I guess if I did have you to help me, I could finally get back at that good-for-nothing king… Alright, I’ll accept your offer, Fluffy.”

As much as Morgana wanted to be irritated and argue against the new nickname, his glee of Akira accepting his offer overtook it. “Alright, let’s get outta here, then!” The kitsune couldn’t help but do a little backflip in his excitement, landing upright on four paws. “Is there anything you need to take care of before we go?”

Akira nods. “In fact, yes I do. There’s someone I need to talk to.”

“Underground, I hope?”

“Correct.”

That was Morgana’s cue. Standing up on his hind-legs, his body began to shift. It emitted a gentle, pearly glow, and there he stood. He was still a kitsune, of course, but he had now taken a more humanoid form. He supposed he better tuck his big, glossy tail in somewhere… A hat to cover his protruding ears wouldn’t hurt, either.

Joker tried not to stare in awe at the transformation. “Damn…” he breathed, “Not so fluffy anymore, eh, Fluffy?”

Morgana narrowed his eyes. “That nickname better not stick,” he warned jokingly, “Come on, already. I know all the best entrances into the underground… Just follow me. You’ll probably have to crawl, though.”

It didn’t take the pair long to reach the underground capital. The place was bustling with runaways and outlaws, all trying to stay out of reach from the king’s wrath. Swaying lanterns hung from above, illuminating the way. Little stalls were set up along the roads with masked vendors running them. “Alright Joker, we’re here. Now, whoever you’re meeting with, please make it quick,” Morgana said, “I’ll wait right here.”

Joker looked like he wanted to say something more, but he decided against it. Turning heel, he briskly strode towards a distinct, bright stand. It was rather well-kept, decorated with a multitude of pink shades. A fidgeting blond stood behind it, vigorously tapping his fingers on the booth. Catching sight of Akira, his face broke out in a wide grin. “What’s up, dude? Ann ran off to grab some ingredients for some sweet she wanted to make. Caramels, I think?” 

“Haha, funny story,” he began lightheartedly, “I’m going to have to leave for a while.” He almost regretted it right away, seeing his friend’s expression change immediately.

“Leave? Why?” he asked, “Did you get caught aboveground for something? Oh gods, you’re not heading for the gallows, are you?”

“No, I swear I’m not,” Akira clarified, and took a deep breath. “I saved a kitsune aboveground and he wants me to join a rebellion of some sort. As soon as he mentioned beating the king, I was sold. So I’m going to be joining him.”

The blond almost chokes. “You…  _ What? _ Akira, are you feeling alright? Do you want chicken soup or something? I have some ramen here; it’ll probably do the same job…” Ryuji was convinced that Joker was jesting with him. But his somber expression said otherwise.

“I’m being serious. If you don’t believe me, he’s waiting for me right over there.” Akira pointed in the direction of the kitsune, who promptly waved at the duo. 

Ryuji blinked, and sighed. “Well… I… This is insane, Akira. But I guess I’ll go with you. If you died on me, I’d never be able to live with it.” There had been other groups before them, of course. Stronger, more capable people. But they were all crushed, like insects. Still, it was worth a shot. It was a better alternative to living out the rest of his life in fear.

“I assume you’re done talking about joining rebellions behind my back,” the disappointed voice of Ann makes itself known, “I can’t believe you’re leaving without me! This is uncalled for, you two.” 

The blond whirled around, coming face-to-face with the very owner of the stall. “Hey, how long have you been listening? I nearly thought you were one of the king’s men from aboveground!”

She responds, “For a long time. I have ears for a reason, you know.” Ann set down a heavy bag of sugar underneath her booth, and returned up with her arms crossed. “Anyway, what are we waiting for? Let’s grab our weapons and armor.”

Ryuji was in disbelief, his eyes wide and owlish. “Wait are you serious? You’re really joining us?”  
“Of course I am. Just because I’m a girl doesn’t mean I’m delicate, Ryuji. I am perfectly capable of fighting, and you know it.” In truth, she could remember the many times she had to rescue him from his own sensitivity. Cruel people were more than willing to take advantage of his softness in these tough times, “I’ll speak with Shiho and see what she can do with watching the stall.”

“Shiho?” Akira echoed, “Oh yeah, she’s the girl that runs the tailor stall on your right, isn’t she? That’ll work out.” Normally, he would tease Ann about how close the two girls were, but he oddly couldn’t find it in himself to crack the joke.

When the trio made their way to the kitsune, Morgana almost started on how Akira took ages and ages, but then he caught sight of the other two coming with him. He raised a questioning eyebrow. “You know, we can’t just invite everyone into our little party. Are you sure we can trust them?”

“They’re close friends of mine,” The assassin assured firmly, “And worthy allies.”

“Well, I don’t…” Morgana’s gaze fell upon Ann. _Good gods, what a woman._.. “I don’t see why not! The more the merrier, am I right?”

“That was a quick change of heart, Fluffy...” Akira commented.

“The name’s Morgana, get it right--” but he cut himself off again, noticing the confusion in Joker’s expression. “What, did I never tell you? Well, that’s my name! Better get used to hearing the king’s men shouting it after us.” The kitsune intended to live up to that promise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey everyone! we were so overwhelmed and humbled be all the amazing support coming in already ;w; and we were more motivated than ever to get this chapter on its way! as you all have noticed, the first "chapter" was more of a prologue than anything w a peek into bby goro's childhood. this is where the real fun begins!


	3. Brush with Fate

The kitsune took a deep breath. Gods, he already had a headache. “Okay let me get this straight,” Morgana rubbed his temples, going off on a spiel. “I know I said we might need to do some recruiting, but what I did not say was that we were making some kind of friendship parade. Seriously, are  _ all  _ of the people you know are those we should be trusting, Akira? I know we have to be prepared, but who even is this weapon salesman you’re talking about?”

“Mona, you shouldn’t worry so much. I promise Iwai is someone worth knowing. He’s the one who supplies me with all of my daggers, so I’m sure he’ll be useful to you,” was the assassin’s assured reply.

“Yeah, so don’t get all worked up Monamona,” Ryuji added, “What, do you care about us or something?”

“N-no! I’m just doing this for my own self-benefit! If you guys got in trouble, it would be bad for me!” the kitsune stutters, clearly failing to deny Ryuji’s observation. Gods! He was already falling victim to their teasing glances.

A harsh, murmured, voice made itself heard. The group quieted down to listen. They sounded like biting insults. “Are you seriously over here buying art supplies again? You never learn when you have enough, do you? Just because you’re Madarame’s pupil doesn’t mean you can just flaunt your riches like this.”

Hearing that name, Akira immediately took a large interest in this conversation.  _ The  _ Madarame? The one with the art supplies--which he assumed to be Madarame’s rumored student--was undoubtedly tense. They could tell the pupil was shaken, even with his face mostly covered by an ornate fox mask. “I apologize if my actions upset you, but I don’t have much of a choice,” he murmurs, “Now, I would like to get out of your way. So, excuse me…”

As the student tried to slip through, a rough hand gripped his shoulder. “You’re not going anywhere, rich kid. Why should the rest of us starve while you have more than you need?” He froze, not daring to move. Ann was positive that behind that mask, his face had gone completely white. 

Without another moment of hesitation, she stepped towards the two, getting ready to defend the student. “Now, I appreciate the sentiment here, but I doubt bashing this guy is gonna make you a better person,” she hissed, “So I suggest that you leave him alone.” Although she was shorter, she didn’t break her sharp, icy glare. 

The man scoffed, momentarily breaking his grip on the student. “Aye, and what’s the candy girl gonna preach to me about? Last time I checked, you weren’t any better than him. This is between me, and the boy.” 

“Last time I checked, you need to grow a pair,” she countered, “If you have something to complain about, why don’t you tell the king? I’m sure he’ll reward you handsomely with a trip straight to the gallows.” Before Ann could continue, someone stepped in between them.

“Alright,  _ easy _ . We’re all here because we don’t have a choice. Now you,” he addressed the opposer, “Get outta here, and pick on someone your own size.” The offending man shot the other a dirty glare, but scampered off anyway.

“Iwai?” Akira asked, finally able to take a good look at the mediator. “We were just looking for you, actually. Good thing you made it in time.” The assassin tossed his gaze over to the student, who was still frozen in place. They could worry about him later, he supposed.

“I suppose it was, kid. Seems like your friend is still as feisty as ever,” the surly man remarked. “Follow me. I have what you all need. Is that fox with you guys?” His gaze fell to the kitsune, scanning him warily.

“Yeah,” Akira responded for Morgana, “Ryuji, are you coming?” He noticed his friend trying to linger behind, but it did not go unnoticed by him. The blond shifted awkwardly.

“Uh… You guys go ahead,” he insisted, “I’ll catch up.” The assassin gave him a questioning look, but let him. He knew that Ryuji could take care of himself. The moment the others were out of sight, the blond immediately whirled his head around to search for that artist.

At first, a sinking feeling developed in his chest. Did he miss him entirely? But then he spotted the end of a dark cloak, sweeping into an alleyway. There he was! Hastily apologizing as he maneuvered through the crowd, he just barely grasped into the fabric before the student went into the exit. “Hey! I never got your name!”

“Oh, um, forgive me. Where are my manners? My name is Yusuke Kitagawa,” the artist replied, “I suppose I never properly thanked you for your friend defending me, so thanks.”

“Well, I’m Ryuji. I…” He struggled to find the words. What if he upset him, and made him run off? “I’m not trying to pry into your personal life or anything. But you seemed really shaken back there. Are you alright?”

Yusuke’s gaze immediately darkened. “I’m fine. There’s no need to worry about it.” He was clearly lying.

“...Are you really sure?” he frowned, “Listen, you don’t have to go back to him.”

“Pardon me if I am being rude,” the artist began, “But I am not leaving him. I owe my life to Madarame, no matter what he may have done… I appreciate your concern, though.” 

The blond was at a loss for words. There had to be  _ something. _ He couldn’t just let Yusuke go now, after everything that happened. “Look, wait! I have something to offer you,” Ryuji spoke without thinking. Now that he had Yusuke’s attention, he had better come up with something, and fast. “I… I’ll help you. I’ll help you figure out the mystery behind that… that painting, if you come with us.”

“B-but, how did you--” Yusuke began to stutter, but he cut himself off. “Of course, you must have heard the rumors… Very well, I will indulge in your offer. I was late in my departure anyway, and I would have never heard the end of it from Madarame.”

“Oh, wow, uh, really?” He didn’t expect to get this far, but there was no point of convincing the artist if he would just desert after finding out what their actual goals were. “Just so you know, what we’re doing is dangerous. I hope you know how to fight… We were actually about to go get weapons.”

“I know, I overheard your little… conversation. It was quite easy to hear. Besides, I’m not worth worrying about. I am skilled in not only the art of painting, but the way of the blade as well,” There was a pregnant pause, before Yusuke decided he could admit lowly, “And… your friend of yours, the girl. She had shown me much more kindness in a moment than Madarame had in years.”

Ryuji sent Yusuke a large, toothy grin. “I’m sure Ann will be glad to hear that! Now if you’re really coming with us, we should hurry up and meet with them. I told them to go on ahead without me, and it’ll be a pain in the ass if they left us behind.”

By the time they got to the armory tent, Iwai was already fitting everyone with weapons. As Ann was trying on a gauntlet, all heads turned to the pair that walked in. “There you are Ryuji! Oh, and it’s that guy from before. I hope you weren’t too shaken up about what happened earlier, by the way,” The blonde woman greeted warmly. Best to make the newcomer feel welcome. “My name is Ann. What’s yours?”

“Call me Yusuke, Lady Ann,” he introduced himself, lowering his mask. “I was truly inspired by your passion today, and wish to join your cause--I, too, believe the current state of the kingdom must be repaired. I hope that one day I will be able to capture such a burning spirit on canvas.” The artist bowed deeply.

“Well, wouldn’t you know! You all are just naturals at finding insurgents, aren’t you? Seems like just about everyone has some feud with the nobles. So, new kid, I got a question for ya,” Morgana wiggled his brows comically, “Tell us why you joined out of the blue. Heard that you were pretty loyal to that Madarame, weren’t you?”

“I… I was, yes. Truthfully, I am glad to have a reason to leave that man’s grasp. I owe everything to him, the man that took me in after I was orphaned. He taught me how to paint, but by the gods, he was cruel to me. And the others he took in. Lady Ann has shown me a great benevolence, and so thus I pledge myself to her. Ryuji has also offered me something I could not turn down.”

“Ryuji?” Ann blinked, “What did he say?”

“Oh… Heh…” The mentioned blond rubbed the back of his head. “Well, this is a promise  _ I  _ made, so the rest of you guys don’t have to worry about it. But I’m gonna help him find out the secret behind that blurred out painting.”

Akira hummed as he inspected the blade of an armorslayer--which belonged on a battlefield more than a simple knife. “Well, there’s nothing stronger than Ryuji’s word. I’m not too worried about all of this.” He hissed as he cut the tip of his index finger on the edge. The assassin raised his eyes from the glinting metal, and they widened at the sight of the artist. “Gods! Oh... I’m sorry for my outburst, but your face… It’s sunken…”

“Wha…” Ryuji turned, “You’re right! When’s the last time you’ve eaten? Actually, you guys stay here and pick out arms. I’m gonna make a big bowl of ramen, alright? I hope you’re fine with chicken!” 

“We can always count on him, I suppose,” Ann noted, as she picked out a quiver for herself. “Oh! This one reminds me of my days as a knight, heh.”

“You used to be a knight, Lady Ann?” Yusuke inquired, curiously.

“Oh, yeah. Me and Shiho were royal bow knights together, but we quit. Neither of us could stand that Kamoshida bastard--he trained new recruits. That’s why we decided to make our living underground. Anyway, are we done? I think everyone has what they need.”

“I think so! I have my beaststone, though. I don’t need anything,” Morgana explained. “Oh, Yusuke, there’s your man coming back with a hot bowl of dinner for you!” And so he was. Panting, the blond shoved a pair of chopsticks into Yusuke’s hands wordlessly, before gripping the end of the display table for a balance. His eyes met with a sturdy lance in front of him.

“This weapon… will do…” he gasped out, “Whew! How do you like my cooking, Yu--”

Instead of an answer, he heard loud slurps from the artist. Within minutes, Yusuke had titled the bowl to his lips to drink the remainder of the hot soup. With a sigh of satisfaction he says, “Gah! It’s delicious, Ryuji. You have my gratitude.”

“Alright, everyone. I’m glad that your friendship is magic and all, but if you’re done here, please pay for your things and leave,” Iwai didn’t even hesitate to cut right through the jolly atmosphere. “It’s a sword and bow for Akira, same for Ann, lance for Ryuji, and two swords for Yusuke--everyone needed armor. That’s right, innit?” Morgana perked up, producing a satchel of coins from his side.

“I’m paying,” he clunked the bag down, “I got these kids into this mess, after all. Least I could do for them.” 

“Thank you, Morgana,” Akira nodded gratefully, “And Iwai, you couldn’t have helped more.”

“Aye, now you kids just stay safe. My son and I would rather see you all in one piece. I want the king gone just as much as you all do. Thought of a name for your little ragtag group, yet?”

“Hmm… How about the Phantom Thieves of Hearts?” Akira mused, “Might as well give ourselves codenames at this point. I’ll be Joker, obviously.”

“Alright! Let’s get in the insurgent spirit!” Ryuji cheered, “I’ll be Skull!”

“I like Panther, in all honesty…” Ann added, “It sounds fierce.”  
“A codename? Perhaps Fox would be fitting?” Yusuke proposed.

“Oh, you all are already calling me Mona. I guess that’s my codename. Anything but Fluffy!” The kitsune folded his ears in emphasis. “Alright, we’re all ready now. You all better be prepared to raise hell.” The five of them bade their final farewells to the weapons salesman. One by one, they all stepped up the rusted ladder leading to aboveground, engulfed by rising daylight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bona fide Monafide™ (*´・ｖ・)  
> i wonder how many of these titles can be puns  
> yusuke is thicc headed as shit dude mona literally called ryuji his man  
> apologies for the wait, everyone! but we wanted to deliver a quality update to live up to everyone's expectations. feedback is welcome! ♥  
> Tayah applied to make an ao3 account so I can list them as a co-writer, but as you all can guess, it's taking a tad while. MAJOR shoutout to everyone leaving kudos, bookmarks, and comments! you all warm our lil hearts


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